review | The Scented Hound

January 27, 2013
by The Scented Hound 22 Comments

Patchoulissime by Keiko Mecheri

WHAT I SMELL: The opening of Patchoulissime is a flash of strong minty coolness, its sharp and fresh and a little biting and unfortunately it last only for a few seconds. What starts of bright, quickly turns more earthy and warm. There is no hippieish patchouli here, but instead a soft ambery and sandalwood patchouli that is tinged with rose. In all it’s pleasant. But you know what; it’s very hard to write about “pleasant.”

Patchoulissime Notes: patchouli, benzoin, rose, jasmine, sandalwood and amber.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A sweet unsophisticated maiden, let’s call her Inga.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE PATCHOULISSIME: safe, easy, calm

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT PATCHOULISSIME: I Smell Therefore I Am, WAFT…What a Fragrancefanatic Thinks

BOTTOM LINE: Patchoulissime is nice enough. For a patchouli fragrance it’s surprisingly clean and fresh. I could see this as a good summer scent, but overall it just seems a bit dull.

Bone Rating: 3 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental Woody
Classification: Feminine – but easily worn by a man
Expense: $115 for 75ml EdP

January 21, 2013
by The Scented Hound 18 Comments

Elixir Charnel Oriental Brulant by Guerlain

Maybe it’s the time of the year or maybe it’s because I have the winter blues; in any case, I seem to be reaching out for comfort scents. Thankfully, I had a large sample of Oriental Brulant to keep me company this past week.

WHAT I SMELL: Oriental Bulant opens with a warm and spicy balminess. The top note are listed as tangerine, but I got that for about one second as it turned balmy. There is a hint of soapiness (which I typically abhor), but here it’s very light and reminds me what my mother’s bathroom smelled like right after she took a bath. After a bit, the vanilla’d almond comes more to the front. This is not an overly sweet almond, but one that is rounded and warm. Oriental Brulant is pretty linear and sits close to the skin. It’s about as ethereal a fragrance that is to my liking as it’s a warmish vapor that rises so slightly above your skin.

Oriental Brulant Notes: top note is tangerine; middle note is almond; base notes are tonka bean, styrax and vanilla.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Maybe it’s the pink color of the juice, but I think of pretty cirrus clouds backed up to a lovely pink sky.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ORIENTAL BRULANT: wispy, pretty, peaceful

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ORIENTAL BRULANT: Perfume Shrine, Olfactoria’s Travels, AustralianPerfumeJunkies

BOTTOM LINE: For the time being, I am in love with this fragrance, but I think come the spring I could grow tired of its lovely balminess. This is a vanilla for non-vanilla lovers and leans feminine. I have to admit though that this is the perfect “bed-time” scent for me as it helps to create those pretty pink clouds in my head that the sheep can jump over.

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $260 for 75ml EdP

January 13, 2013
by The Scented Hound 26 Comments

Krigler Reviews: Oud for Highness 75 & Established Cognac 66

OUD FOR HIGHNESS 75

WHAT I SMELL: I swore I was putting on Montale’s Black Aoud when I first applied Oud for Highness 75. Not for the faint of heart, but unlike Black Aoud, I didn’t get the burning tire sensation. What I did get a huge blast of agarwood and a sweet, sweet saffron. It smells rather like rose, but I don’t see any rose listed in the notes. I have to admit that I was worried that this would be too loud, but as time goes on, the “in your face” aspects of the perfume move to the side and you’re left with a very sweet, yet cozy ambered honey. This is a bit sweeter than I would normally like, but I do like it.

From the Krigler website:

Custom Made fragrance created in 1975. Joining again the collection in 2010. Oud For Highness 75 has been created in honor of its Royal Highness of Jordan combining Crushed Royal Asian Oud, Amber, Sandalwood, Saffron and Honey. Combining cultures and traditions, this fragrance is a Royal testimony to Oud.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A cheerful majesty.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE OUD FOR HIGHNESS 75: sweet, happy, dignified

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT OUD FOR HIGHNESS 75: Cafluerbon, dbeauty Junkie, Perfume-SmellinThings

Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Oriental Woody
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $305 for 50ml EdP

ESTABLISHED COGNAC 66

WHAT I SMELL: Established Cognac’s opening is an odd combination of a strong cognac sweetened with what smells like a bit of cotton candy. Very quickly the sharp cognac alcohol turns to a spiced and surprisingly dry herbaceous oak. I would have expected that this fragrance would be moist, but instead it’s very dry. I don’t get much sillage from this, nor is it long-lasting. After a couple of hours this completely disappeared on me.

From the Krigler website:

The quintessentially London classic since its creation. Men have it, women desire it! Simple audacity, world-class composition offers a perfect blend of Cognac, Apple, Indian Tagette, Caramel, Oak…
Distinctly masculine woody undertones; an eternal favorite.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: An old library with musty books.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ESTABLISHED COGNAC 66: oaky, musty, worn

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ESTABLISHED COGNAC 66: I couldn’t find any reviews, except for a few comments on Fragrantica.

Bone Rating: 2 out of 5 possible bones
Scent: Aromatic
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $175 for 50ml EdP

BOTTOM LINE: I am intrigued by this line. I’m not sure if it’s because of its exclusivity or the fact that they have been around since 1904. In any case, you can purchase their fragrances either online on their website or at one of their two retail locations; one in the Plaza Hotel in NYC and the other in Monte Carlo! Anyone want to take a trip to Monaco?